Nika riots

The Nika riots were a series of sports riots in Constantinople that occurred in January 532 AD during the reign of the Byzantine emperor Justinian. The riots were caused by public anger against high taxes as well as sports hooliganism, with the crowd shouting Nika ("Win!") as they began to insult Justinian at the Hippodrome and assault the imperial palace. For five days, the palace was under siege, and much of the city - including the Hagia Sophia - was destroyed. Several treasonous senators saw this as an opportunity to overthrow Justinian, and they proclaimed the former consul Hypatius as the new emperor. Justinian decided to trick the rebels, sending his general Narses to the Hippodrome. There, he reminded the Blue team's supporters that Justinian had supported them over the Greens, and that Hypatius was a Green; the Blue team then stormed out of the Hippodrome, deserting the Greens. At that moment, Belisarius led soldiers into the Hippodrome and slew the remaining rioters. Around 30,000 rioters were killed, while Hypatius was executed, the other senators were exiled, and Constantinople and the Hagia Sophia were rebuilt.